The possibilities are endless

Has he won the 15 to 20 majors Jack Nicklaus predicted he would back in 2014? Has Nike's Phil Knight named a grandchild after him? Or a subsidiary? Has his best-selling autobiography, "Rors: Fer Sure", entered its 49th printing?

Or has McIlroy been stuck at 16 major victories, three shy of breaking Nicklaus' record? Has his chronic knee pain caused him to miss another tournament? Has the retirement of his long-time swing coach, Michael Bannon, created issues?

Woods has struggled with fitness and form having missed four months following back surgery in March, withdrawing from the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in August with spasms before missing the cut by five shots at the US PGA Championship.

And with the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles a little more than a month away, Woods felt he could not offer anything to the team while unfit.

"Physically I just couldn't do it," he told Sky Sports. "I wouldn't be ready and not being ready for my team-mates, for the captain, assistant captains and everyone who's involved in the event, I just wouldn't be ready and I just couldn't help the team.

"Your name could be called five times and trust me, I've played all five sessions, some guys have played one - but when your name's called your name's called and you need to be able to go out there and get a point.

"And I just didn't feel like I could be ready enough where I could get a point and with that being said, it was time to shut it down, get stronger and get more explosive again and get back for next year."

Woods also revealed that he is targeting a return at his December event, the World Challenge, giving him four months to get fit for the 2015 season.

"It's a little bit stiff right now but generally it's getting better," he added. "We've got it all calmed down, now it's about the strengthening up process.

"I probably won't be swinging a club for another month but I'm getting stronger each and every day.

"I'm in the gym two or three times a day. I've got my physios and trainers there, so we're working hard and then we're going to introduce dynamic training again, my explosiveness, but that's down the road, let's just get this thing stronger first.

He added: "I've got basically three-and-a-half, four months off where I get to be physically fit. I'm going to shut it down and get ready for December and, eventually, next year."